Millionaire Businessman Shaquille O’Neal Once Nearly Got Fired From Billion Dollar Pizza Chain for a Huge Reason

Published 06/29/2022, 9:30 PM EDT

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is a born winner. He has tasted success in almost every field he has been involved in. This includes basketball and various other ventures. O’Neal has 4 NBA titles to his name alongside a host of other accolades.

Moreover, he has a huge net worth thanks to some smart investments. If this is not enough, he is a household name thanks to his media presence and his association with ‘Inside the NBA.’

One of his biggest investments is Papa John’s. Shaq joined the food chain as a board member in March 2019. He immediately assumed the charge despite the company facing fire due to some comments from the founder.

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However, it seems Shaq was not taking his position and responsibilities seriously. He regularly missed the company board meetings. According to reports, in 2020 a vote was put out to fire Shaq from the company.

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The report said, “A vote against Shaquille O’Neal is warranted for failing to attend at least 75 percent of his total board meetings held during the fiscal year under review without an acceptable reason for the absences.”

Shaq continued as a board member of the company despite being under heavy pressure. Surprisingly, the food chain collaborated with him to develop the fan-favorite Shaq-a-Roni pizza, which has extra-large slices.

Shaquille O’Neal has built a business empire

Shaquille O’Neal and success go hand in hand. The Los Angeles Lakers legend has one of the highest net worths in the world of basketball, thanks to some smart decisions. He has a net worth of around $400 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

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He has a special love for franchises and he owns 17 Auntie Anne’s Pretzels restaurants and nine Papa John’s franchise units. Shaq’s newest love is Krispy Kreme donuts, and he wants to expand his business in the same.

Furthermore, O’Neal founded the Chicken sandwich brand Big Chicken in 2018. The Las Vegas-based brand has 10 locations and is looking to expand in cities like Austin and Phoenix.

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WATCH THIS STORY: How Old Was Shaquille ONeal When He Retired?

What is your favorite memory of Shaquille O’Neal? Let us know in the comments down below.

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Written by:

Abhinava is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor's in Journalism and Mass Communication. Abhinava has been following NBA for the past 6 years and is a huge fan of the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.

Edited by:

Bagavathi Eswaran

Millionaire Businessman Shaquille O’Neal Once Nearly Got Fired From Billion Dollar Pizza Chain for a Huge Reason

Shaquille O’Neal has built a business empire

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